UN expert names China, Russia, Serbia as arms suppliers to Myanmar

By Peter Kenny

GENEVA (AA) - A UN expert on Tuesday issued a report to the Human Rights Council that identifies China and Russia as two permanent members of the Security Council, who have supplied weapons used against civilians since Myanmar’s military coup.

UN Special Rapporteur on Myanmar Tom Andrews said in the report, he appealed to weapons exporting nations to immediately suspend their weapons sales to Myanmar.

“Despite the evidence of the military junta’s atrocity crimes being committed with impunity since launching a coup last year, UN Security Council members Russia and China continue to provide the Myanmar military junta with numerous fighter jets, armored vehicles, and in the case of Russia, the promise of further arms,” Andrews said.

“During this same period, Serbia has authorized rockets and artillery for export to the Myanmar military,” he added.

The UN expert also urged the convening of an emergency UN Security Council session to debate and vote on a resolution to, at minimum, ban those arms transfers that the Myanmar military is known to use to attack and kill Myanmar civilians.

“Stopping the junta’s atrocity crimes begins with blocking their access to weapons,” he said.

“The more the world delays, the more innocent people, including children, will die in Myanmar.”

Andrews said that the people of Myanmar are imploring the UN to act.

- Security Council must vote

“They deserve an up-or-down vote on a Security Council resolution that will stop the sale of weapons being used to kill them,” said Andrews.

“Too many families are finding themselves in the cross-hairs of weapons of war that Member States are supplying. This must end.”

The report also names states that have authorized the transfer of weapons since 2018 when Myanmar military atrocity crimes against the Rohingya ethnic minority were widely documented and a UN Fact Finding Mission called for an immediate arms embargo.

It includes the types and, where known, the amounts of weapons that have been transferred to the Myanmar military.

Last June, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution calling for member states to prevent the flow of arms into Myanmar.

“This was welcomed by the people of Myanmar, civil society organizations, and international human rights advocacy groups,” Andrews said.

He added: “The failure of the resolution to have any discernable impact on the crisis and the capacity of the junta to launch attacks on civilians, however, has led to anger and despair.

“It is imperative that Member States and the Security Council act urgently to stop weapons sales to the military junta. Human lives, and Security Council credibility, are on the line.”